Final Fantasy XIV Director Yoshida Hopes For the Next FF to be “More fantasy, have less machines, and no Mecha”

[TwinBahamut]

II, III, and IX are the only FF games that don't have mechs.
People seem to forget that.
Even then, those games have advanced airships like Ark, The Dreadnaught, and The Nautilus.

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IX totally has mechs! Ark counts, and even ignoring that you have a spaceship, cloning, and a likely cyborg.

And even if it doesn't have mechs per se, III has ancient super civilizations that built a flying continent.

II may be the only one to downplay mechs and super technology, but that might depend on how you count Iron Giant, given that it debuts in that game as Warmech's replacement.

 

[tabris]

I would like to see this, and FF settting pre FF VI would be nice, Plaing KH3's Corona level was amaing to me! Would love to see towns like that in square's next FF or next JRPG.

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Dragon Quest XI came out just last year.

 

[TheYanger]

When has Final Fantasy ever been pure fantasy? The WarMech is the first game's secret boss, and an entire dungeon

Spoiler: Final Fantasy Spoilers

takes place on a space station

. Even before that there are plenty of machines especially in the latter half of the game. If you took out all that stuff you'd take out a lot of what makes Final Fantasy really interesting and unique as a franchise.

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And yet, those games had only small percentages of technology in them, and people have to nitpick and find small pockets of technology to try and prove that FF was always this way?

FF6 was like, steampunk at best, yet people use things like Magitech as a basis for why suddenly it's totally the same to live in an actual modern metropolis and drive around in a flying car with gas stations and shit?

like c'mon, it's disingenuous to pretend the series didn't have a dramatic shift in tone right at 7, that it has largely leaned further and further into in recent years, with only really 9, somewhat 10, and 12 hearkening back to the old style.

 

[tabris]

And yet, those games had only small percentages of technology in them, and people have to nitpick and find small pockets of technology to try and prove that FF was always this way?

FF6 was like, steampunk at best, yet people use things like Magitech as a basis for why suddenly it's totally the same to live in an actual modern metropolis and drive around in a flying car with gas stations and shit?

like c'mon, it's disingenuous to pretend the series didn't have a dramatic shift in tone right at 7, that it has largely leaned further and further into in recent years, with only really 9, somewhat 10, and 12 hearkening back to the old style.

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vs 8, 13, and 15. That's 3 to 3. Sounds like an equal mix to me.

Edit - in fact if you count online games which are both mainly fantasy based except for imperials in FF14 having technology like FF6 - that's 5 to 3 in favour of "fantasy" vs modern / future setting.

 

[SilverArrow20XX]

IX totally has mechs! Ark counts, and even ignoring that you have a spaceship, cloning, and a likely cyborg.

And even if it doesn't have mechs per se, III has ancient super civilizations that built a flying continent.

II may be the only one to downplay mechs and super technology, but that might depend on how you count Iron Giant, given that it debuts in that game as Warmech's replacement.

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II has a giant flying battleship lol. No robots though.
IX is mostly biotech. None of it is really cybernetics, so it's a bit different. It's not metal and electricity. Ark is really the only thing.
III is the least tech focused I think. Most of the tech is crystals and stuff. The Nautilus is the only thing I can think of that looks like it's made of metal. Iron Giant is more of a golem.

 

[Xeontech]

FF6 remake, or this

 

[Delaney]

The combination of medieval inspired fantasy settings with science-fiction elements made the first titles interesting. I'd like them to try something like FF4 again.

 

[Dust]

My favourite setting is FF8, that world was just really pleasing from design standpoint.

 

[TwinBahamut]

II has a giant flying battleship lol. No robots though.
IX is mostly biotech. None of it is really cybernetics, so it's a bit different. It's not metal and electricity. Ark is really the only thing.
III is the least tech focused I think. Most of the tech is crystals and stuff. The Nautilus is the only thing I can think of that looks like it's made of metal. Iron Giant is more of a golem.

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Well, I mention cybernetics in IX mostly due to Garland, who is either a cyborg or android of some kind, and seems much more plainly mechanical than anything.

 

[Wamb0wneD]

FF IX has machinery in it, but it takes a backseat.

 

[TheBaldEmperor]

How about just make a good Final Fantasy. Been a while.

 

[SilverArrow20XX]

Well, I mention cybernetics in IX mostly due to Garland, who is either a cyborg or android of some kind, and seems much more plainly mechanical than anything.

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Oh yeah. I forgot Garland is an android or something. We don't really know what he's made of though. Just that he's artificial. I'd guess he's probably a more primitive genome model that doesn't have an expiration date.

Though I was basically just saying that these three entries are the only ones that don't have things that are unambiguously robots.

 

[Deleted member 5535]

Oh, that's nice. I would be very interested in a Final Fantasy more focused in fantasy like it's name than in how it's been for decades.

 

[Deleted member 5535]

It does seem like it. Or a new IP perhaps.


Yes. I think SE needs to groom new blood, especially with how mobile centric Japan is. They need to groom talent.



The sooner one accepts that we won't be getting the older games as they are the sooner we will be happier 😓
We'll probably never be getting a Kitase directed game, nor any games from Ito.

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What do you mean by new blood? Scenario Writers? Directors? Producers? Programmers? People always talk about it but never say the positions they're thinking about or a age, which in some cases like a producer, that will be more difficult.

As far as directors, I think there's many working at or for Square Enix. Uchikawa (DQ 11), Tai Yasue (KH BBS, DDD, 3), Kazuya Niinou (DQB), Keisuke Miyauchi (Octopath Traveler) and more.

 

[Squarealex]

From Siliconera

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God bless Yoshida

 

[Necron]

I fully approve of this.

 

[Yazuka]

That's what I'm hoping too. I need more fantasy in my Final Fantasy.
I would be very happy if the next game where less with machines and mechs.

 

[stan423321]

Disclaimer: I know nothing about FF

How about we take it to the meta level. The world of FF16 has next to no tech because the local religion, led by Master Shaman Yoshida, says it's sacred and only to be used in service of the divine by shamans. Depending on your relationship values, you can get shamans in your party or maybe even become a shaman, or end up going against them in a sidequest fight, but it has next to no direct connections to the main quest, war against drug-smuggling Chocobos.

 

[EarthPainting]

Yes, please. Also bring back the dumb cartoony fantasy races, and give 'em their own towns.

 

[Timppis]

FFIX <3

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This is someone who clearly understands.

 

[Pluna]

Really love that they are so committed to FFXIV and for me the machinery side of FF was always the stuff I liked the least.

 

[Aters]

All these people saying IX, you guys only played the first two discs or what?

 

[Bonejack]

I like what this director hopes for. Going back to "real" magitek like FF6 or so would be ok. For me, FFXIII and FFXV were basically full-blown Sci-Fi, and i somehow don't like this setting for FF games.

Yo SQEX, how about you give this dude a shot at a mainline FF game? And keep Nomura away from it ... let him do KH 4 or something.

 

[Femto0]

Please YoshiP save us final fantasy fans

 

[Cornbread78]

This. You know what's up.

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It woukd be such an easy way to mske a ton of cash quickly with a little time/dev commitment & funding.

 

[entrydenied]

What do you mean by new blood? Scenario Writers? Directors? Producers? Programmers? People always talk about it but never say the positions they're thinking about or a age, which in some cases like a producer, that will be more difficult.

As far as directors, I think there's many working at or for Square Enix. Uchikawa (DQ 11), Tai Yasue (KH BBS, DDD, 3), Kazuya Niinou (DQB), Keisuke Miyauchi (Octopath Traveler) and more.

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I'm thinking mostly directors. Tai Yasue is a good example and I can see him taking on a full director role for a future KH, instead of Nomura.

 

[ByteCulture]

A pure fantasy Final Fantasy would be good again. But sometimes i really like those FF 7 Settings

 

[astro]

This is horrible news. Magic and tech is the best thing about FF.

Gross.

 

[SunKing]

I think a lot of y'all are missing the last sentence where he says it's "a bad joke".

 

[KeRaSh]

Yoshida knows what's up. I'm all for this. FFXV went too far.
I don't mind having technology exist in these games but tone it down.
Airships, weaponry and some magitek stuff doesn't hurt but keep the focus on high fantasy stuff.
FFXI or FFXIV style settings as a base for XVI would be awesome.

 

[Deleted member 11038]

Do it. The last FF with more fantasy and less machines was XII, more than ten yars ago. It's time.

 

[Ximonz]

Yes yes yes!! and please keep Nomura off the project.

 

[Kromeo]

Please just no more fantasy based on reality and no more gas stations with harmonica music

 

[Carmelozi]

It can means nothing but I believe he teases FFXVI. I hope so. It's time for Final Fantasy to go forward with new installments.

 

[Vault]

IX has an alien spaceship and you travel to another planet

 

[elyetis]

As much as I hope to see it happen, I pretty much gave up on a main line final fantasy going back to more fantasy nor going back to a less "flashy/action" battle system.

 

[JayBee]

I think the man simply means less futuristic kind of type game. Like yes all the final fantasy's have advanced technoligy within their worlds but it's overall very primitive in it's civilizations.

 

[DOBERMAN INC]

Finally, also make it without using school girls and boy bands as templates for characters and I might be back on board.

 

[Deleted member 9714]

Imagine it having a turn based battle system too.

The Final Fantasy we need but not the one we deserve.

 

[Deleted member 4262]

Something like XII would be nice.

 

[Hugare]

Based Yoshida

Make FF great again, senpai

 

[Deleted member 18347]

What a weird comment.

Is that really how they look at storytelling? It doesn't matter if it's steampunk or hifi... just write an interesting truly engaging story that doesn't rely on the illusion of grandeur.

 

[thetrin]

The FFXIV aesthetic is pretty much exactly what I'd want for the next FF game.

 

[grand]

So Crystal Chronicles! Which I feel like I had a fever dream about it being remade or something

But that would be crazy

 

[Nere]

Agreed with him, that's why FFIX is the best FF game.

 

[PrimeBeef]

Remake FF4 you cowards! (Again.)

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But that had machines. And space. And was totally Sci-fi.

I wouldn't mind seeing a HD 3D version of that world. Just keep it turn based ATB.

 

[Kouriozan]

Yay, no more fantasy based on reality bullsh*t, it's instantly better than FF XV already.

 

[Philippo]

It's happening for sure.
Janitor-san will deliver.

 

[Dark Cloud]

Yay, no more fantasy based on reality bullsh*t, it's instantly better than FF XV already.

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Seriously. Just give us something like FINAL FANTASY IX!

 

[Aleh]

YES please. Might actually get me interested in new FF games again.
Also give it to Itoi.